RAMS “D” it up at So-Fi

After a tough 24-19  loss to the Green Bay Packers It was the defensive changes that helped the Rams’ to a 20-15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in front of 73,267 at So-Fi Stadium.

Earl Heath

Contributing Sports Writer

 

The Los Angeles Rams were off to a tough start  this early season sitting at 1-4 with a plate full of injuries on the O-line and wide receivers, like Cooper Kupp and  Puka Nakua.

The team was in every game but couldn’t get over the w hump. This week the team made some defensive changes and that shook things up all around. RAMS D it up at Ahkello Witherspoon was called up from the practice squad. Quentin Lake was moved back from slot corner to safety. Undrafted free agents Jaylen McCollough and Josh Wallace saw more playing time.

After a tough 24-19  loss to the Green Bay Packers It was the defensive changes that helped the Rams’ to a 20-15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in front of 73,267 at So-Fi Stadium.

Kyren Williams (23)rushes in for second TD verses RAIDERS Williams had 78 yards rushing on the Day (Photo: Earl Heath)

The Rams (2-4) broke up nine passes on Sunday. They intercepted three passes. And they forced one fumble, with corner Cobie Durant coming in on a nickel blitz to strip the QB, a fumble that safety Cam Curl picked up and returned for a touchdown.

Lake the third-year veteran saw the potential for something big early in the week. “Those were our best practices of the season. We were doing things, we were emphasizing getting the ball back, taking the ball away, punchouts, interceptions, all that stuff,” Lake said after the game. “Look at what we did today-That gives us a lot of confidence going into this week because we know what we can do.”

It was like the entire defense got a piece of the action. Williams broke up a third-down pass on the opening series. Lake himself broke up a third-down pass to force one of five Las Vegas field goals, then wrestled tight end Brock Bowers to the turf in the open field on third-and-goal with 3:30 to play, forcing the Raiders (2-5) to settle for a field goal instead of potentially tying the game on a touchdown and two-point conversion. Cam Curl tipped away the previous play to get the Rams into that situation.

Durant got the action started for the team. After four sloppy drives that equaled a total of four first downs and zero points, the corner stepped in front of Bowers to intercept a pass at the Raiders 47. That turned into the first of two Kyren Williams rushing touchdowns, and the Rams’ first points of the game.

Later Durant later stripped Gardner Minshew on the next drive for the Rams’ Curl picked it up and high stepped his way down the sideline second defensive touchdown in as many games.

“We have some calls that allows the star to not blitz; when it was the call where there was no way it could be called off, I’d already seen it, I was going to come free,” Durant said. “That’s probably why I cramped up.”

And then McCollough came down with two interceptions. The first led to the Rams’ other offensive touchdown on the day, setting that unit up on a short field. The second, forced in part by one of nine Jared Verse pressures, effectively ended the game with 1:28 to play. And it came after he and Wallace broke up passes on first and second down with the game on the line. The defense came away with four turnovers as McCollough had two. He now has three in two games.

“I think that’s still to be determined but over the last couple weeks I’ve been really pleased with them,” head coach Sean McVay said of the defense’s identity. “I think it started against Green Bay [in Week 5]. I think we’re starting to find our identity, putting guys in the right spots, being able to take advantage of their skillsets.”

On the offensive side Williams had 79 yards on 23 carries. TuTu Atwell had 6 catches for 51 yards. QB Derrick Stafford was 14 of 23 for 154 and an interception. The team only had 258 total yards.

ADD RAMS: The RAM will take on the Minnesota Vikings this week at So-Fi Stadium. Cooper Kupp is set to return after an ankle injury. Kupp caught 14 passes for 110 yards

In the  season opener versus Detroit. “He (Kupp) loves football,” said  Stafford. “He misses being out there so I am excited for him.”

Louis Brown (dark shirt) was recognized  as the Military Hero of the Game presented by the Rams Official Cruise Line Vacation Partner, Princess Cruises. Brown was drafted into the United States Army in 1944, at the age of 18 and was assigned to the 4036 Quarter Master Trucking Company as a Corporal. Brown was awarded two battle stars for his service in World War II and was discharged in 1946. After serving, Brown settled down in Inglewood, where he has lived since the early 1960s. Today, Brown 99 years -old attends annual veteran functions hosted by the Honor Flight San Diego. (Photo: Earl Heath)